Monday, January 29, 2007

Mayday, Mayday, Going...Down...AgainThe same old song and dance continues for your Carolina Hurricanes. Smash the Craps on Friday - get smashed on Saturday. I therefore vow to try an keep it real from this point on. No more bipolar swings. I'll leave that to the boys in the sightless eye. From this point on hereby vow to...

...continue to believe that the look Cam Ward gets in his eye after a goal allowed is one of composure, not one of a deer caught in the headlights.

...leave the room on every powerplay and channel my frustration into situps or pushups. Right now I have the physique of Norm from Cheers. By April, I should look like Dolph Lundgren...sans the bleached flat-top.

...look at the overall playoff standings and not the division standings. I will ignore the continuing excellence of the Thrash and the resurgence of the Lightning and focus totally on that glittering #8 spot. This means not getting too high when the Canes look like the Stanley Cup Champs of old, or too low when they look like the '02-'03 loveable losers. It's not about how the Canes are playing. It's about how the Leafs, Caps, Rangers and Islanders are playing.

...not pay nearly as much attention to the trade rumors. The Canes problems this year aren't because they don't have enough talent. There is no Sean Avery in this clubhouse. It's that lack of fraternal mental toughness night in-night out that plagues this club. No February infusion of Keith Tkachuk or JassenCullimore is going to fix what ails the Canes.

In Other NewsI'll break rule #5 right out of the gate. The trade winds are whirling right now and David Tanabe and Andrew Hutchinson are probably jumping out of their skins every time the cell phone rings. Got to hand it to both. They've seized their opportunities. That's why I've got to question why JR would want to move them with Frankie Kaberle and Bret Hedican still seemingly a long way from returning. According to Luke DeCock, big-wigs from the Blackhawks were in town scouting the Canes. They may be looking to deal, but I can't see any forward on that roster I'd want other than Martin Havlat, and I even wouldn't want him for $6 mil per year.

I think if the Canes make a move, it won't be blockbuster. My gut says the Canes cut a deal for Jason Blake or swoop in to get Geoff Sanderson on the cheap. Blake because he's a Lavvy guy and Sanderson because he's got wheels, hands and he might fit in nicely for a cup run as a bookend with Ray Whitney.

Just saw Craig Conroy to Calgary. Ooooh. That's one that got away from the Thrash.

Blake was an all star like Bouwmeester was an all star. They had to have a rep from every roster. Already too many Lightning guys, so my boy Danny Boyle got the shaft. That being said, they will want a lot in return. Jury is out on whether he wants out, or they want to deal him.

I think you are spot on about Cole. He's always been about power and speed, but he's not nearly as good a puck handler or playmaker he thinks he is. Lots of blown tires and dribbling pucks when he crosses the blueline.

I don't think that Geoff Sanderson will come back here, to be honest. After the move from Hartford, he really went in the tank for this club and was not exactly on JimR's Yuletide gift list, if you know what I mean.